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Uranium shipment for unit-2 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant from Russia has been postponed, allegedly after Pakistan denied permission for using its airspace.
The first batch of nuclear fuel for unit-2 of the country’s first nuclear power plant was postponed on September 24 due to a lack of airspace clearance, said officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC).
The ministry officials, however, remained tight-lipped about which country refused the permit.
An official, preferring anonymity, said the cargo was scheduled to fly over four countries -- Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and India -- before entering Bangladesh.
Hasinur Rahman, a BAEC member who was part of the team assigned to receive the shipment, told The Daily Star that the Russian authorities did not say anything about the reason behind the postponement.
He also declined to comment further.
Meanwhile, Indian news outlet ANI, quoting Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam, said that Pakistan had refused overflight permission for the uranium-carrying cargo plane.
“As of now, the exact reason for Pakistan not granting the airspace clearance is still unknown,” he was quoted by ANI as saying.
The Daily Star repeatedly tried to contact the minister for comments, but he did not respond to phone calls and texts when this report was filed last night.
Contacted, Shabid Ullah Wazir, counsellor (press) at the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka, did not refute the allegation but did not confirm the matter either.
In a written statement, he said, “Pakistan maintains an unwavering commitment to international diplomatic norms and processes all requests for diplomatic flight and overflight clearances within a standardised, predictable timeframe, strictly in accordance with our established regulatory guidelines and civil aviation protocols.
“With regard to the reports being quoted, the matter appears to relate to technical and procedural arrangements concerning flight routing and airspace permissions, which can occasionally require coordination among the relevant aviation and other authorities and may result in adjustments to flight schedules. Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with Bangladesh, and it would therefore be appropriate to view the matter in its proper technical context and not attach undue significance to reports or narratives that may seek to misplace it to undermine our bilateral relations.”
Ministry and BAEC officials confirmed that the airspace issue has been resolved and that shipments will commence on October 1. A BAEC official associated with the Rooppur project confirmed that Russian authorities have already communicated the new schedule.
Representatives from Rosatom’s PR agency told The Daily Star that nuclear fuel shipments for the second unit would resume in October via an alternative route.
“The Russian fuel supply company stated that the complete fuel delivery for unit-2 is expected to be done by December, with deliveries starting in October,” a PR agency spokesperson said. “The remaining fuel batches bound for Bangladesh will arrive by December across seven separate cargo flights.”
Russia’s state corporation for nuclear energy Rosatom is implementing the Rooppur project.
In a statement yesterday, Rosatom said the delivery of nuclear fuel for unit-2 of the nuclear power plant is scheduled to begin in October and continue through December this year, with the supplies to be completed by the end of December. “The fuel will be shipped in several flights, in accordance with the contract terms and the project schedule.”
The nuclear fuel delivery for unit-1 of the 2,400MW power plant was completed in 2023.
www.indiatoday.in
The first batch of nuclear fuel for unit-2 of the country’s first nuclear power plant was postponed on September 24 due to a lack of airspace clearance, said officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC).
The ministry officials, however, remained tight-lipped about which country refused the permit.
An official, preferring anonymity, said the cargo was scheduled to fly over four countries -- Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and India -- before entering Bangladesh.
Hasinur Rahman, a BAEC member who was part of the team assigned to receive the shipment, told The Daily Star that the Russian authorities did not say anything about the reason behind the postponement.
He also declined to comment further.
Meanwhile, Indian news outlet ANI, quoting Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam, said that Pakistan had refused overflight permission for the uranium-carrying cargo plane.
“As of now, the exact reason for Pakistan not granting the airspace clearance is still unknown,” he was quoted by ANI as saying.
The Daily Star repeatedly tried to contact the minister for comments, but he did not respond to phone calls and texts when this report was filed last night.
Contacted, Shabid Ullah Wazir, counsellor (press) at the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka, did not refute the allegation but did not confirm the matter either.
In a written statement, he said, “Pakistan maintains an unwavering commitment to international diplomatic norms and processes all requests for diplomatic flight and overflight clearances within a standardised, predictable timeframe, strictly in accordance with our established regulatory guidelines and civil aviation protocols.
“With regard to the reports being quoted, the matter appears to relate to technical and procedural arrangements concerning flight routing and airspace permissions, which can occasionally require coordination among the relevant aviation and other authorities and may result in adjustments to flight schedules. Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with Bangladesh, and it would therefore be appropriate to view the matter in its proper technical context and not attach undue significance to reports or narratives that may seek to misplace it to undermine our bilateral relations.”
Ministry and BAEC officials confirmed that the airspace issue has been resolved and that shipments will commence on October 1. A BAEC official associated with the Rooppur project confirmed that Russian authorities have already communicated the new schedule.
Representatives from Rosatom’s PR agency told The Daily Star that nuclear fuel shipments for the second unit would resume in October via an alternative route.
“The Russian fuel supply company stated that the complete fuel delivery for unit-2 is expected to be done by December, with deliveries starting in October,” a PR agency spokesperson said. “The remaining fuel batches bound for Bangladesh will arrive by December across seven separate cargo flights.”
Russia’s state corporation for nuclear energy Rosatom is implementing the Rooppur project.
In a statement yesterday, Rosatom said the delivery of nuclear fuel for unit-2 of the nuclear power plant is scheduled to begin in October and continue through December this year, with the supplies to be completed by the end of December. “The fuel will be shipped in several flights, in accordance with the contract terms and the project schedule.”
The nuclear fuel delivery for unit-1 of the 2,400MW power plant was completed in 2023.
Pakistan blocks airspace for Russian flight carrying Bangladesh's nuclear fuel
The delivery of nuclear fuel for Bangladesh's Rooppur power plant has hit a hurdle after Pakistan denied airspace clearance. The timing is crucial as Bangladesh grapples with its worst power crisis in decades.
